Matt Robinson, Times Herald Boys Soccer Athlete of the Year

North Penn's Matt Robinson(5)gets a head on a ball over Souderton's Tyler Macdougall(23)during first half action of their contest at North Penn High School on Friday September 28,2012.(photo by Mark C Psoras)

Friends and coaches describe Matt Robinson, a four-year varsity player for North Penn Senior High School’s soccer team, as the go-to guy, a natural scorer and a great, smart player. The dedication, however, that he shows on and off the field is what defines him, and why he has been named the Norristown Times Herald Boys Soccer Athlete of the Year.

No sooner than he learned how to walk, Matt Robinson was kicking a soccer ball. Along with the loving persuasion of his mother, Evelyn, and father, Michael — a coach and competitor in his own right — they raised their boys, Mike and Matt, to earn every bit of respect due to them. Playing for the North Penn Knights soccer team, Matt was a sophomore when his older brother, Mike, was a graduating senior.

“It was like having a person on your side that you know you can always rely on, he always knew what he had to do to help the team,” said Robinson, remembering the years playing alongside his brother fondly. “We trained together, competed together, he was always there to help work with me on different aspects of the game.”

Advertisement

The spirit driving Robinson has led him to not only excel in soccer, but also in scholastics and competitive wrestling. He is a member of the National Honors Society, and boasts grades that put him top of his class.

“My father taught my brother and I, whatever you want to do, do everything you can to be the best and always do something extra,” said Robinson.

Describing himself as a positive person, on the field Robinson was a player that led by example. When teammates would get down or tire, Robinson would do his part to pick them up, whether it was by an encouraging word or making the play himself. His life-long dedication to the game has created a never-ceasing will to win.

Robinson’s high school soccer coach, North Penn’s Paul Duddy, was ecstatic about honoring Robinson, who led the team with 14 goals and 10 assists, playing nearly every minute of every game. On the season, North Penn scored a total of 31 points in Continental League play.

“It’s fair to use the word ‘feisty’ to explain Matt’s playing,” said Duddy. “No matter the situation, he’d find a way to get what we needed done.”

In the 2012 District 1 playoffs against West Chester Rustin, with 19 minutes left in regulation, Robinson scored to bring the deficit to 1-2, and 10 minutes later the game was tied on a goal by fellow teammate, Dylan McMahon. A week earlier, Robinson scored with 4-minutes remaining in 2OT to lead his team to a 2-1 victory over Strath Haven.

“He had something to do with 75% of our goals,” said Duddy. “If we’d need a goal, he’d score it or he’d find the assist, and in PK situations, we put him first and he hit everyone he took.”

“He’s the go-to guy when you want a goal,” said Jamie Bonner, who played with Robinson since they were eight-years-old.

“As the captain of the team, he was always reassuring, really calm on the field, and he was able to get the rest of the team on his level.”

Playing both as a striker and an attacking midfielder, Robinson was forever a part of the action, be it on scoring situations or helping out on defense.

Leading the Knights in points and assists the last two seasons, he not only welcomes the pressure of being the go-to player, he enjoys it.

“When the pressure is on, there’s nothing like taking on the responsibility for the team,” said Robinson. “Especially in big games when everyone is watching, I want to be a part of that big play and help the team however I can.”

Robinson’s career won’t end at the high school level; in fact he’s been recruited to play Division 1 soccer for La Salle University. The training for the team hasn’t formally started, but Robinson is heart-set on getting himself to his highest physical level. In the meantime, he plans to continue wrestling with the best-wishes of his soon-to-be coach at La Salle, and thus far he’s gone undefeated.

Wrestling, he says, certainly does not replace his love for the sport on the pitch, but he derives an appreciation of the ambitious spirit from it.

“It’s all about you and the other kid, and the outcome is based on how much work you put in, plus, it gets me in shape for the soccer season,” he said with a chuckle.

“In soccer, when my teammates start to tire, I tell them that’s when you really have to push yourself,” said Robinson. “Winning is about how hard you can push yourself no matter how tired you get.”